Projectile equipped with deployable parachute

ABSTRACT

A projectile has at two parts (3, 4) axially arranged one behind the other and mutually linked, of which at least one contains a deployable parachute (6, 6&#39;). In order to achieve a design that ensures a smooth and reliable separation of the parts (3, 4), followed by the deployment of the parachute (6, 6&#39;), both parts (3, 4) are mutually linked by radial bolts (19) that can be radially actuated by the gas pressure generated by at least one pyrotechnic load (15) and radially moved by the gas pressure, thus separating the two parts (3, 4). The pyrotechnic load (15) can be ignited by a fuse (9).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a projectile equipped with a deployableparachute. More particularly, the present invention relates to such aprojectile which is composed of at least two sections arranged axiallyin tandem and connected with one another by means of radially extendingbolts, and with one of the sections accommodating the parachute.

One possibility of recovering projectiles undamaged after firing is todecelerate the flying velocity of the projectile or of its components toacceptable ground impact values with the aid of a parachute. A parachutecan also be employed to cause the projectile tip to penetrate into theground.

To cause the parachute to become effective, it must be ejected on thetrajectory or the projectile must be separated in such a way that theparachute is able to automatically deploy as a result of the streamingair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a projectile having adeployable parachute, with such a projectile being of the type mentionedabove with two axially tandem sections connected by radial bolts andhaving a simple structure and permitting reliable separation fordeployment of the parachute.

This object is accomplished according to the invention by a projectileof the above described type wherein the radial bolts are radiallychargeable by the gas pressure so as to separate the two sections, withthe pyrotechnic charge being burnt off or ignited by way of a fuse.

Further features of the invention are to be found in the descriptionbelow and in the dependent claims.

The invention will be described below in greater detail with referenceto embodiments that are illustrated in the attached drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a projectile equipped withone embodiment of a separating device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the separating device along lineII--II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along line III--III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV--IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view along line V--V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional rear view of a further embodiment ofa separating device.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view along line VII--VII of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 to 11 are sectional views corresponding to lines VIII--VIII toXI--XI of FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of an additional embodiment ofa separating device.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view along line XIII--XIII of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a projectile 1 is composed of anose section 2, a center section 3 and a tail section 4, with tailsection 4 being equipped with fins 5 and accommodating two parachutes 6,6'. Also provided is a propelling cage 7 which extends essentially overthe center section 3 and part of the tail section 4 and is discardedupon firing after it has left the gun barrel.

Center section 3 is provided at its rear with a coaxial cylindricalrecess 8 at whose bottom two delayed-action fuses 9 are disposed whichare covered by means of a plate 10. Recess 8 is closed by an insert 11which simultaneously accommodates plate 10 and is connected with centersection 3 by means of screws 12 extending in the axial direction. On itscircumference, insert 11 is sealed against center section 3 bycircumferential seals 13 between which there is disposed an annular,circumferential channel 14.

In corresponding blind bores in insert 11, a pyrotechnic charge 15 and aflame capsule 16 are inserted from the side facing plate 10 in twodiametrally oppositely disposed positions, the flame capsule 16 beingconnected by way of conduits 17 extending through plate 10 with theassociated delayed-action fuses 9 so that flame capsules 16 can beignited by delayed-action fuses 9. Gas conducting channels 18 extendfrom the region of the blind bores accommodating the pyrotechnic charge15 to the annular channel 14.

Moreover, three bolts 19 are provided which are equipped with pistons 20at their rear sides and are received in radial bores 21 in insert 11which are distributed equidistantly over the circumference of insert 11in the region between the two seals 13. In the region of insert 11, theouter diameter of center section 3 is reduced while tail section 4 has acorrespondingly enlarged inner diameter to be able to receive the end ofcenter section 3. In the telescoped state of center section 3 and tailsection 4, both sections are provided with bores which are coaxial inthe overlapping region and through which bolts 19 extend up to the outercircumference of tail section 4 so as to connect center section 3 andtail section 4 with one another, while a gas pressure chamber 22 existsbetween the interior of center section 3 and the oppositely disposedside of piston 20, which is disposed in the region of channel 14.

Piston 20 may be provided with a circumferential seal 23 while bolt 19may be provided with an axial bore 24 which permits easy positioning ofbolts 19 during assembly.

Additionally, insert 11 is provided with a recess 25 to accommodate abearing 26 whose inner ring is connected with an eye 27 which is thusmovable and receives a loop 28 of parachute 6. Bearing 26 is secured ininsert 11 by a spring ring 29.

If, after firing of projectile 1, parachute 6 is to be deployed, flamecapsules 16 are ignited by delayed-action fuses 9 thus causing thepyrotechnic charges 15 to burn off. The gases developed thereby travelthrough gas conducting channels 18 into annular channel 14 and thuscharge the pistons 20 of bolts 19 from the circumferential side by wayof gas pressure chamber 22. This causes pistons 20 and thus bolts 19 tobe pressed radially inwardly so that they go out of engagement withrespect to tail section 4 and the latter is separated from centersection 3. Thus parachute 6 which is fastened to center section 3 isreleased by way of insert 11 and is able to be deployed. Tail section 4is decelerated by the second parachute 6' whose deployment is alsoeffected by the separation.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, center section 3' and tailsection 4' are connected with one another by means of clamps 30. Clamps30 are screwed to bolts 19' which, in turn, are held in insert 11' byaxial shear pins 31. Gas conducting channels 18' open into gas pressurechamber 22' between the bottom of bore 21' and the interior of bolt 19'so that the gases generated by the pyrotechnic charges 15 charge bolts19' from the inside and press them outwardly thus causing shear pins 31to be sheared off and clamps 30 to be thrown off so that center section3' and tail section 4' are separated.

Adjacent gas pressure chamber 22', bolts 19' may be provided with acircumferential seal 23'. Delayed-action fuses 9 may be held by means ofpins 32 between insert 11' and center section 3'.

In principle bolts 19' which, according to the second embodiment, aresecured by shear pins and can be pressed outwardly, can also be used inthe first embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, shear pins 31 are replacedby shear discs 33 which are held by a two-part bolt 19". Bores 21" aredesigned as threaded bores and receive a threaded ring 34 which supportsshear disc 33 toward the exterior and surrounds bolt 19". Between sheardisc 33 and the bottom of bore 21", a ring 35 is inserted whichsurrounds bolt 19" so that the gases released by pyrotechnic charges 15act only on the interior frontal faces of bolts 19".

An annular channel 14" is here provided at the interior of recess 15"and is closed toward the outside by bearing 26. Channel 14" is incommunication with bores 21" and with the bores accommodatingpyrotechnic charges 15 so that the inner frontal faces of bolts 19" arecharged directly by the gas pressure from the combustion of pyrotechniccharges 15 through channel 14".

We claim:
 1. In a projectile including at least two sections arrangedaxially in tandem, a plurality of radial bolts disposed in respectiveradially extending bores connecting said two sections together, means,disposed in said projectile and including a pyrotechnic charge and afuse for causing ignition of said charge, for producing a gas pressurefor radially displacing said bolts to release the connection between andseparate said two sections of said projectile, and at least onedeployable parachute accommodated in one of said two sections; theimprovement wherein said means for generating a gas pressure forradially displacing said bolts include gas conducting channels leadingfrom said pyrotechnic charge to said radial bores to directly apply saidgas pressure to a respective frontal face of each of said plurality ofbolts which is to be charged with gas pressure.
 2. Projectile accordingto claim 1 wherein said pyrotechnic charge is ignited by a flame capsuledisposed in the projectile adjacent the charge.
 3. Projectile accordingto claim 1, wherein said fuses are delayed-action fuses.
 4. A projectileaccording to claim 1 wherein said bolts are displaceable radiallyinwardly by the gas pressure and are provided with larger diameterpiston portions at their interior ends; and said gas conducting channelsopen into said bores exteriorly of the respective exterior frontal facesof said piston portions which are charged by the gas pressure from theexterior.
 5. Projectile according to claim 1 wherein one of said twosections accommodates an insert which is provided with said radial boresfor the bolts and accommodates said pyrotechnic charge and said gasconducting channels which lead from the pyrotechnic charge to therespective frontal faces of the bolts which are to be charged with gaspressure.
 6. A projectile as defined in claim 5 wherein: said onesection accommodating said parachute is a tail section of saidprojectile; said insert is fastened to the second of said two connectedsections at its rear; and said parachute is connected to said insert. 7.Projectile according to claim 5 wherein said insert is disposed in thesecond of said two connected sections and is connected with saidparachute by an eye.
 8. Projectile according to claim 7, wherein saidinsert accommodates a bearing by which the eye is held rotatablerelative to the insert.
 9. Projectile according to claim 5 wherein: saidbolts are displaceable radially inwardly by the gas pressure and areprovided with larger diameter piston portions at their interior ends;and said gas conducting channels open into said bores exteriorly of therespective exterior frontal faces of said piston portions which arecharged by the gas pressure from the exterior.
 10. Projectile accordingto claim 9, wherein said gas conducting channels include an annularchannel disposed on the exterior circumference of said insert with saidannular channel opening into said bores adjacent to the outwardlyoriented frontal face of the respective piston portions and beingconnected with further gas conducting channels which open into theregion containing the pyrotechnic charge.
 11. Projectile according toclaim 9, wherein said bolts are provided with axial passage openings.12. Projectile according to claim 1 wherein: said bolts can be displacedradially outwardly by the gas pressure; said gas conducting channelsopen into said bores so that the respective interior frontal faces ofsaid bolts can be charged with gas pressure; and said bolts are securedby shear means.
 13. Projectile according to claim 12, wherein said shearmeans are axial shear pins.
 14. Projectile according to claim 12,wherein: said one section is the tail section of said projectile; eachbolt is screwed to a clamp which connects the other section with thetail section; and said clamps are releasable from the other section andfrom the tail section by the radial displacement of the bolt toward theoutside.
 15. Projectile according to claim 12, wherein said shear meansare shear discs.
 16. Projectile according to claim 15, wherein saidshear discs are held by said bolts which are two-part bolts. 17.Projectile according to claim 15, wherein said bores are configured asthreaded bores and each receives a threaded ring which supports theshear disc toward the exterior.
 18. Projectile according to claim 15wherein a ring which surrounds the respective bolt is inserted betweenthe bottom of each bore and the respective shear disc, with the gasconducting channels opening within the ring into the space between thebolts and the bottom of respective bore.